Lighten Up, Francis!

The Libertarian Lass, Gayle FalkenthalThe Libertarian Lass, Gayle Falkenthal 3 Comments

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I’m surprised none of my fellow bloggers have posted any commentary yet on the number one issue of the week in the state of California: the now-infamous Assembly Bill 1176 veto memo signed by Governor Schwarzenegger that appears to have a personal message embedded in a code using the first letter of seven successive lines of copy. If you haven’t seen it for yourself, view it for yourself right here.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross are the ones that noticed this and published the memo, pointing out the hidden message apparently directed at the bill’s author, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco).  They also pointed out that he has criticized the Governor in the past, including a comment by Ammiano on October 7 at a party that the Governor could “kiss my gay ass.”

I use the word “appears” because Schwarzenegger’s spokesperson Aaron McTear told the Chronicle it was a “weird coincidence.” Uh, sure.  So now we’ve got people up in arms, horrified at this crude turn of events, this shocking sort of name calling and insults.

To quote one of my favorite all-time movie lines from that noted philosopher, Sergeant Hulka from “Stripes” – Lighten up, Francis!

Boys and girls, what’s wrong with a little crude humor now and then? I admit it. I think this is a riot. Full disclosure: I think “South Park” and Mel Brooks movies are funny too.

This state could use all the humor it can get.  If we don’t laugh once in a while, we’re doomed to cry. It seems to me Ammiano fired the first shot and now someone has responded on the same level. So what? Trust me, folks working in state government, especially the ones holding elective office, all have pretty tough hides or they would have run shrieking from the Capitol like little girls long ago. We don’t need to be worried one bit about their feeeeeeee-lings being hurt.

What delights me is learning that we apparently have at least one rather clever person in Sacramento. Whew, good to know.

Researchers have proven that there is a correlation between intelligence, humor, and giftedness. There’s even a professional research journal titled International Journal of Humor Research. A 1995 study in the Journal by Dan G. Holt and Colleen Willard-Holt found that humor involves a mental process similar to problem solving.  (Humorless Democrats and others among us, please take note. Ahem).

Now, let’s get serious about one thing. I want this memo writer identified ASAP, not to cast blame but to give him or her some higher level assignments! This is the kind of person smart and wily enough to take on some serious challenges like the state’s budget, prison overcrowding, the union stranglehold on the legislature, water distribution, you name it.

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Comments 3

  1. Like
    I
    give
    half a care about such
    trivial,
    emotional
    nonsense from the humorless.

    Using one’s creativity wisely can be both
    powerful and funny!

  2. Post
    Author

    What I didn’t add is that stuff like this is common practice in law review journal articles and legal opinions.

    I once read a law review article loaded with terms from “Star Trek,” and a legal opinion that contained more than two dozen Talking Heads song titles.

  3. Yes, and if you spin Revolution Number 9 backwards, the repeated lyric “Number Nine,” comes out “Turn me on, dead man.” Lennon was far more brilliant than the current governor. Philosophically-leaning, however, the jury may still be out.

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